Semper Fi
26 Mar 2019Today’s prompt: “A soldier is about to embark on a mission that she knows will kill her.” [As always, I’ll be avoiding the gendered language.]
The images from the reconnaissance satellite showed light-colored mounds around the target site on Pohnpei. Your commanding officer told you it could be sand, maybe rubble. It’s not. You’re picking your way over mountains of bone. Your heart stops every time a fibula crunches under your weight or a skull clatters down the side.
Plant the bomb. Try to get out of the blast radius in time. It’s risky even if Squidhead doesn’t catch you in the act.
Someone’s ribcage collapses below your foot, and your leg plunges in up to the knee. Fuck! You crouch down and listen. You hear a slow, heavy breathing coming from two more bonehills away, and your heart pounding in your chest.
Your C.O. in boot camp told you that your training then would prepare you for anything you would need to deal with in your military career. This was not in basic training.
He sounds like he’s still asleep. You slowly pull your leg out of the side of Bone Mountain, trying to keep from shifting your weight too much or move too many bones as you extricate yourself. Okay. Breathe deep. Focus on the mission. Deliver the package. Blow that fucker sky-high.
Your C.O. told you that you probably wouldn’t be coming back. He was wrong to include the “probably.” Even if everything goes right, you’ll never be able to get back over Bone Mountain in time.
Breathe. Breathe. Listen. There are his breaths again, slow and ragged and incredibly loud. Now – carefully, carefully – stand up.
There he is. His bat wings curled around his resting form, rising and falling. Massive green coils spilling out from his monstrous face. Giant yellow eyes staring straight at you.
Fuck.